COMFORTABLE WIN: Chelsea eased in the quarter-finals with a routine win over Turkish giants Gala [EPA]

Last year not one team from the top flight made it into the last eight.

The season before it was just the west Londoners who progressed - going on to win the competition.

Now the pressure is on Manchester United tonight to overhaul their two-goal deficit against Greek side Olympiakos and keep the Blues company.

In truth, this was a bit of a Fulham Road stroll. Even with the returning Didier Drogba, the Istanbul outfit, managed by former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, too often were like Turkish delight - pretty soft.

Blues keeper Petr Cech had one of his easier nights as Chelsea’s resolute defence recorded their 22nd clean sheet of the season.

The big surprise was that Chelsea, with Willian, Oscar and Eden Hazard combining so well behind Samuel Eto’o, managed just two goals.

Eto’o was the only player in blue last night who has won a Champions League with Jose Mourinho, at Inter Milan in 2010. He was also been successful with Barcelona in 2006 and 2009.

He is three years younger than Drogba, 36 - or just one, if Mourinho’s aside to a French TV crew is to be believed.

And Eto’o kept Chelsea on course for a second Euro crown, and for a fourth for himself, with a goal in the fourth minute.

A Branislav Ivanovic throw picked out Hazard and, after a typically clever turn, the Belgium star was storming forward.

A flicked pass with the outside of his right boot played in Oscar, who ball found Eto’o timing his run perfectly to get in behind the Gala defence.

His shot was from quite a tight angle, but he kept it low and keeper Fernando Muslera’s right hand was not strong enough to stop it from crossing the line.

GOAL: Cahill celebrates after his close range finish made in 2-0 to the hosts [EPA]

It was Eto’o’s 10th goal of the season for Chelsea but only his second since he scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 league defeat of Manchester United two months ago.

John Terry volleyed over a Frank Lampard free-kick shortly before playing a key role in Chelsea’s second in the 42nd minute.

The skipper met a Lampard corner with a thumping header. Muslera’s reactions to save were good, but his pushing of the ball straight back into the danger area was not, allowing Gary Cahill to smash home the rebound.

At 2-0 up we saw a restrained and calm Mourinho, nothing like the angry 51-year-old at Aston Villa on Saturday, where Willian and Ramires - who both started last night - were sent off and he was dismissed to the stands.

Today he will, no doubt, be turning his thoughts to the crunch visit of Arsenal on Saturday - and how he can spoil the party again for Arsene Wenger, who is celebrating 1,000 games in charge of the Gunners, but he never won in 10 games against his arch-rival.

Mourinho kept reminding his men of their defensive duties, though, but they continued to press for a third against the Mancini’s men, who never looked like they believed they could claw their way back.

Muslera redeemed himself to a degree with good saves from Hazard and sub Fernando Torres. Drogba waved his goodbyes, again, and now Mourinho must be wondering who could be his Drogba-style hero in the final in Lisbon in May.